A red scarf and lots of salty water
by adam.anellaer
Summary: There were these legends, about terrible sea creatures, that every man from the sea knew about. And one thing was certain: the sea had already taken enough lives to feed up the fertile imagination of many children, including the one of particular boy, who now hated those stories more than ever. Mermaid AU
1. Chapter 1

**_So... this is my second RS fanfic, and I was inspired by some other Mermaid AU, and I did some fanart and then got some ideas and then this happened! Hope you like either way. If you want to see the fanart, go to my tumblr: :D and take a look!_**

**_I don't own anything of course._**

**_I previously apologize or any error. Enjoy :D_**

* * *

There were these legends, about terrible sea creatures, that every man from the sea knew about. If they were more than mere stories, told to little children so they wouldn't endanger themselves, that´s what he didn't knew. Many fishermen also enjoyed scaring passing travelers, with the hope that the mystery would retain them a little longer in that remote land.

But one thing was certain: the sea had already taken enough lives to feed up the fertile imagination of many children, young and grown, including the one of a particular boy, who now hated those stories more than ever.

* * *

The body sliced through the water, leaving behind a trail of disturbed currents and confused fish.

She moved her fin as fast as her muscles could, feeling the powerful strikes it gave propelling her forward through the fluid environment.

She breathed steadily but with enthusiasm, the water getting in and out of her gills in a wonderful way.

She was almost there! In the middle of her exhilaration, she kept swirling and twirling in the currents, overexcited about the madness of her acts. But she couldn't help it, the rebellion of her actions making her feel more free that ever.

She absorbed her surroundings, delighted with the color of the things up here. She was tired of the same deep blue. She wanted to know how it was here, where the sun seemed to kiss everything in its reach.

The light was different. Well, maybe it was because there was more of it!

Although, it didn't seem to penetrate the water like it did in the high sea: losing its way towards the depths, the straight rays of sun diving bravery into the unknown.

Here, it had a goal, a surface to reach, to enlighten and warm up. Whatever it was an undulating seaweed meadow, a nude rock, or an exuberant coral reef, the sunlight gladly did its job, fueling life itself, instead of being doomed to disappear in the penumbra of the ocean.

Toothiana looked with awe, spreading her fingers as the sun played with the transparency of her interstitial membrane. The trembling disc winked at her, as if greeting her sudden visit. Her gills fluttered, small amounts of water going in and out her respiratory surfaces. It was her own way of laughing. She liked how it felt, the water seeming more… fluid up here. Sure it was due to the pressure.

Yes, her body was adapted to live down there, where the sun barely illuminated the seabed. So it was a long journey. Not in ways of distance, because she was surely a fast swimmer.

But it toke time for her to decompress, so she wouldn't have any kind of problems for getting up here.

She opened her mouth and tasted the liquid. It was saltier too. Her buddy Mr. Sun up there toke the water with him, leaving the salt behind.

It was how currents worked. The heat evaporated water, leaving the salt, who increased the density of the liquid, consequently making it heavier and sink to the cool depths of the ocean.

Toothiana made a spontaneous twirl, completely thrilled for witnessing this kind of phenomena instead of just learning about them at home. Overwhelmed by the excitement she gave a strong flick of tail, heading towards the bright disc, her mind not even realizing the consequences of the action.

She only realized what she was doing when her fin had nothing to push against. Her eyes widened, seeing all the droplets of water glimmering in the unrestricted sunlight.

The mermaid's heartbeat exploded, a sudden wave of panic overwhelming her the second she tried to gasp and her branchiae seemed to catch fire instead. (Not that she knew what fire was, but the pain's still there.)

Once more, gravity reclaimed its rights over her form, obligating her to return to the water. Her eyes only caught a blur of color, before the cool fluid engulfed her.

Her sensation of relief, when the familiar liquid submerged her longing gills, was only surpassed by the primary urge to define what her pink irises viewed.

It was a color she never saw and couldn't find the words in her vast language to define. It was strong and bright, but contrasting the fresh hues of blue and green, it felt… warm. Yeah, it was it. Warm like the sun kissing her skin. Well, the sun was white but still, it was the feeling she got at the strange sight.

Her sisters always said that her insatiable curiosity would be her doom. And now, a part of her knew they were right.

The rising anticipation made her heart beat wildly again, as she slowly approached a slippery rock, becoming dangerously close to the beach. With one quick look over her shoulder, her eyes examined the vast blue behind her, checking if her unforgivable behavior was being witnessed by any other living organism.

With one last reassuring breath, Toothiana extended her fingertips, the thick skin brushing slightly the green slick algae.

And with that, her cautious instinct kicked in.

Almost instantly her skin color began to change, her usual combination of blues, greens and purples morphing into the dull grey of the partially emerged rock with areas of deep green, copying the organisms that lived on it. Now, only two pink irises showed her position.

She closed them and lifted herself, her arms hoisting her up in a salience on the rock. She make sure that her other group of gills, the ones which rested just below her ribs, remained underneath the line of water.

Head breaking the surface first, her head fins felt cool breeze dance between them. She decided to open her eyes, slowly, as if testing if that action would cause any physical pain. It was with delight that concluded it didn't.

Then her eyes wondered through the area before her. At first she was amazed at the range of vision. She could see perfectly all the way until the mountain cliff that dove into the ocean, there, on the other side of the beach. There were green covered hills that extended themselves into the sand, grass waving with the wind. It was breath taking. She could even distinguish a high peek, a mountain that seemed to caress the grey belly of the mantle of clouds that navigate the skies, coming towards the sea.

Her mouth hung open, as she saw… everything. In the sea, her sight range wouldn't let her take in all the immensity of a world like this. And the sea itself, it was, oh, so beautiful, extending all the way towards the horizon. The siren couldn't be more marveled.

The sun was now covered with clouds, some rays of light immerging from open spots in the thick veil. But still, it was all so…

With such a surprise within the beauty of the upper world, Toothiana could almost forget the reason that toke her there in the first place. The warm color.

So she turned back to the land again, eyes avidly searching for the warming sight. She tried to get higher, so she could get a clear view of the beach, her arms impelling her form just above the rock.

Her gills tried to absorb all the oxygen from the water they could afford, just before closing skin against skin, as her body came almost completely out of water. Feeling the waves crash against her fin, she blinked a few droplets out of her long eyelashes.

Then her eyes caught it, the strong color, much closer than before. And what she saw afterwards, well, she thought, as her heart almost entered into cardiac arrest and she clumsily dove in the water… she imagined everything but that!

* * *

_**I know this is short, but i'll try to write the other chapter soon. Please review, and if you have any advice, feel free to give it!**_

_**Oh, and I imagined Tooth to be able to change her skin color, like an octopus. And she was supposed to have to long tentacles, but i'm not sure if i keep them.**_

_**And can someone please help me with the verbs for her fin movements? (Not english native speaker)**_


	2. Chapter 2

_**Yeah, I'm exited about this new story so we have to enjoy the wave of creativity while it lasts. :D**_

* * *

His bare feet kept walking, his nerves apparently unaware of the stony ground under them. The dark heavy cloak floated just above the soil, never really touching it.

The boy dressed in black didn't even look back, when the resonant sound of bells reached his ears. He didn't bothered staying until the end of the ceremony.

What was the point, either way? There was nothing to say goodbye to…

He could already hear it, from a far. The anticipation of sight of the immense mass of water, just in the other side of the hill didn't hurry him up. Is heart was too heavy to be filled with his natural wonder and happiness.

So as it was, he couldn't really see the beauty of the place, as he used to see. Now, the grass covered mountains that fell like steep cliffs into the tumultuous waters, seemed only like walls, trapping him in this colorless place.

And now, through his equally tumultuous heart, in everything alike to the sea he grew up with, stemmed a great storm.

He kept his hand firmly clenched in a fist, close to his body, from his right one hanging a long crimson scarf.

He was sick of people telling him they were sorry and for him to be strong, he was sick of the ever grey sky, he was sick of…

The boy finally got to the top of the hill and was greeted with the familiar salty breeze. His lips curled into a pleased smile, crystal blue eyes absorbing the breath taking landscape before him. No, he would never grow sick of the wind, his good friend and oldest companion.

But his small smile disappeared just as fast.

Because, as his eyes landed on the vast mass of water, he felt only pain and anger. And although his people needed the sea as desperately as any fish would, he promised, right then and there, that he would never forgive the ocean for what it did to him.

Jackson Overland Frost felt irremediably and utterly betrayed by one of, he used to think, dearest friends.

His fists clenched even further, digging nails into his pale skin, teeth gritting with rage.

The wind played with his clothes and hair, oblivious to the boy's fury. So, when the breeze inadvertently brought the scarlet cloth to his field of vision, it triggered a reaction inside the Jack's core that no one could stop now.

So he went down the hill, heading towards the one place that would used to make him feel better.

But now, the sound of the waves crashing in the sand, instead of playing the role of a relaxing factor, only seemed to fuel his rage. The sound kept echoing in his mind, as if mocking him. He felt his bare feet slightly sinking in the silty ground, as he marched towards the water.

And when the cool liquid engulfed his toes, he couldn't hold it any longer.

- HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME! – he screamed at the top of his lungs. – WHAT DID I EVER DO TO YOU, SO YOU WOULD TAKE HER AWAY FROM ME!

He started kicking the sand and the water, taking hands full of dirt and throwing it towards the waves.

- W-WHY, WHY WOULD YOU TAKE HER? – and he fell on his knees. His throat hurt, but his heart hurt the most.

- Why would you take her…? - he mumbled, defeated, eyes flooding themselves with long retained tears, anxious to get free. But one single tear licked his cheek to join the great mass of tears that came to comfort him.

- Please bring her back… - he begged, eyeing the red cloth in his lap, the tears dripping towards the clear liquid.

But suddenly, he heard a much louder splash, in the rocks just ahead.

His head instantly snap up, crystal blue eyes searching madly for what felt into the water.

It was almost without thinking that Jack got up, feet immediately running towards the group of exposed rocks. The boy couldn't prevent the small flicker of hope from lightening itself inside him, fueling his legs, his lungs, his heart. The long scarf flew just behind him, swirling happily in the wind.

Jack jumped into the water, easily dodging and climbing the slippery rocks, just like he was so used to do, not for a minute caring for his wet formal cloths or for the bright scarf that lightly caressed the ocean.

He finally got behind the big rock from which the splashing sound came from, breathing heavily from the emotion.

- Oh Em, I thought you wer-

But he couldn't finish his sentence, as he tried took in what his eyes showed him.

* * *

When her eyes caught sight of the vibrant color, her heart apparently stopped for an instant.

And it was funny, in a way, because all her face and chest splashed that same color she was so curious about. It was a color of danger, her morphing skin reflecting the threat her too nosy nature had put her into in the first place.

Because, you see, in its way towards the depths of the sea, light lost most of its colors, remaining only the highest radiations of blue. So the mermaid never had the opportunity to witness such warm hues.

And, as if it wasn't already bad she swimming so near to land, she came across with the mere creature she ought to avoid. She surely was in deep trouble.

So she instinctively tried to return to the water, the environment she should never had left in the first place. With the panic, her dive ended to be rather clumsy, the weight of her fin causing a big splash in the waves. Great!

As if it wasn't enough, the liquid was shallower than she had expected, ending with her powerfully hitting her head in one of the submerged rocks. Toothiana immediately brought her hand to her temple, groaning with the pain and dizziness it caused.

In the middle of the confusion, the increasing waves played with her dizzy self, taking no mercy in tumbling her form against the surrounding rocks. She groaned, when her back hit another sharp reef.

Her mind only screamed for her to run away, before the human caught sight of her.

She desperately flicked her tail, blindly swimming. She could hear the splash of steps right behind her, the reverberating sound spreading all the way until her ears, only increasing her disorientation.

She breathed heavily, gasping when the floating sediments entered her sensitive branchiae.

Her heart didn't seem able to endure the panic any longer.

Why wasn't the water getting deeper? Where was she going?

Toothiana tried to concentrate, to see something in the middle of her mad runaway. She seemed to snap awake, when she felt the rough sand under her belly.

Her eyes looked around, but she was surrounded by the cloud of floating sediments that her beating fin brought up. She released a high pitched scream that travelled through the water, resounding in the nearby denser surfaces, and echoing back to her acute hearing. With that, her specialized brain calculated the aspect of the area that imprisoned her.

When she realized where she was, her head immediately popped out of the water, as if she didn't believe in what she heard.

But unfortunately it was true.

She hiccupped, eyeing desperately the walls that surrounded her in a small, shallow bay. The mermaid had merely a meter of water, and the tide kept retrieving.

Her only chance was to go back by the narrow passage.

She used her arms, not wanting to fill the water of sand once more.

Toothiana was almost escaping when she found her way out blocked by a tall from.

Her pink eyes lifted slowly, until they reached the pale face, only to encounter two blue eyes, deep as the ocean itself, full with a strange mix of an empty confusion and a forming storm of anger, which presaged nothing good.

* * *

_**And they meet...**_

_**Stay tuned to the next chapter and don't forget to review :D**_


	3. Chapter 3

**Another exiting chapter, I hope :D Enjoy!**

* * *

The air got in and out of his lugs automatically, his heart beating wildly from everything he was going through: the sudden flame of hope that was rapidly extinguished by… it; his concept of what was real and what was not completely shattered!

A part of him wouldn't believe it. It kept telling him it was the pain and the anger which had created such an illusion. And that he was being extremely stupid, for falling in such lies.

However his reasonable part, as persuasive as it could be sometimes, didn't stop his heart from jumping in his chest, impelling him to go after whatever he though he saw.

And now, standing here in the narrow passage that led to the hidden bay, he stared at the devilish pink eyes before him, wide with realization: the creature was trapped.

But still, it was too much for him (too much for anyone really) to take in.

He didn't remember when did he stopped believing those legends, or if he ever did! Maybe his mind was only too ashamed to admit that the grown up boy continued to believe in children's stories.

Whatever the case was, the confirmation was right before him.

At first, he was stunned with her appearance. That was the easiest thing to evaluate in the moment! And it was nothing like he had expected.

He imagined them to look more… human-like. Perfect pale skin beauties with long enviable hair.

This… thing, on the contrary, couldn't be more alien! From its head rose some kind of fins, starting above her brow and growing towards the back of her skull, somewhat spiky at the end. It had strange translucent hears too, and its neck was cloven in four rows of gills, that fluttered madly, like the creature was suffocating. And its skin, was like, full of scales, no, they weren't scales, but he couldn't properly distinguish.

But then, what kept his attention was those huge eyes, wide open, in the middle of its face. The bright pink irises seem to drag him in, making him almost forget all his anger, all his pain.

Jack shook his head, his brain trying to figure out what did this all mean, his reasoning madly jumping into conclusions. He felt dizzy, pictures running before his eyes, memories of the nights when the fisherman told stories by the fire. He could still hear their words, in voices as hoarse as the wind itself.

_"Cruel bests those are! Beautiful like angels, but with the most wicked hearts! They'll penetrate your mind so deeply, that you will willingly follow them to infernal depths of the sea…"_

Suddenly, something inside him snapped, and his eyes got clear again.

If these creatures were real, then the stories he heard about them were real too. Legends about men who mysteriously disappeared in the se-

- WHERE DID YOU TAKE HER? – the boy barked, jumping towards the frightened creature who frantically tried to retreat. He didn't even care with the not so remote possibility that the mermaid could not understand him. But who can judge someone blinded by hate.

The "thing" kept trying to dodge his ireful advances, the strong tail not helping at all in these shallow waters. It looked like it was having problems breathing, and in the panic she got stuck in the sand, just enough water for her to breathe through her lower gills.

Her eyes snapped with horror towards him, wide in fear, lips apart, hands clenching the sand underneath her with visible despair.

The female creature was trapped.

The panting boy kept some distance, just making sure that the "thing" couldn't swim away. His blue eyes were full of hatred, towards that defenseless being before him.

Jack saw how it was getting problems with breathing, and an evil smirk began to twist his features, as he felt the water level substantially decrease. There was no escape.

- You took her! – he snarled, getting slightly closer, eyes bright with his tears of anger. – Now I can take your life just as well, _monster_!

She continued gazing him with those fearful eyes, deep and expressive. Jack gasped, but hastily looked away, shaking his head.

He let himself sit down, in the shallow waters, completely insensible to the sea temperature, only letting the cool liquid soak up his heavy clothes, chilling his muscles, his bones, and his soul.

* * *

Toothiana tried to keep her head clear and free from the consuming panic. All her organized self was of no use now. Nothing could ever prepare her for such situation.

_It is all your fault…, _she thought sorrowfully,_ If you had listened to what they said to you, to their warnings, you wouldn't have dove in this situation. And now look at you, dying at the mercy of a mere human._

But she had to admit it: what a cute human – _DO YOU THINK IT'S TIME TO THINK ABOUT HIS CUTENESS RIGHT NOW?_

_Okay Tooth, relax; try to think of a way out, while you still have water to breathe…_

She heard the water splash, and lifted her eyes, just to see his kneeling form, with the warm color clothing in his lap.

He looked so weak, so vulnerable. But still, it wasn't him who was slowly suffocating. Or so she though…

Her eyes wouldn't leave him, but suddenly, shiver crossed her body, when the silence was abruptly broken.

But his voice was much softer now, not at all like the terrifying roars from before that hurt her sensitive hearing. No, it was so… soothing. How could a creature with such a calmative voice be capable of doing any harm at all?

And believe me, the voice is something really important for mermaids! It was how they related to one another. And from what Toothiana could hear, the boy brought great sorrow within his own.

He just, continued speaking, not making eye contact with her, blue irises stuck to the clothing. His voice broke sometimes, but he simply carried on, not once concerned if she could understand what left his heart.

However, Tooth didn't stopped him (not that she could actually), but she felt that this was something he truly needed to let go. So she smiled, and kept staring at him, the panic slowly abandoning her being completely.

* * *

The time passed and the two remained there, like statues, lulled by Jack's peaceful tone and the sound of crashing waves, in the retreating tide. The clouds had parted slightly, shining kind beams of light here and there.

Toothiana wasn't gazing at the boy anymore. Instead, she kept her eyes drifting through the suspended clouds, wondering how it would be to fly freely up there, away from mermaids and away from men.

She absently registered the water abandoning her lower gills. The ones from her neck had closed long ago, to avoid them to dry out.

Curiously, she noticed, that didn't freaked her out!

It was to tiring, she guessed… Worrying costs too much oxygen.

So, she closed her eyes, one last tear escaping her long eyelashes, leaking down her face.

What a curious way to die…

With her gills giving a last painfully violent flutter, the grey mantle opened and the sun itself came down to kiss her cheek.

* * *

**Cliffhanger, hun? Hope you stay tuned to the next chapter :D Please review!**


	4. Chapter 4

**Thank you all who reviewed! You got me so excited that I wrote the other chapter as soon as I could! Here it is. Enjoy :D**

* * *

_We are one with the sea and waves,_

_We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,_

_Born from foam, foam we'll become,_

_We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…_

Her fin gently stroked the water, not at all in a hurry. Because, after all, she wasn't needed…

_"You're too young"_, they say, "_too… moony." _

Oh, but what's wrong about resembling the moon? Wasn't that supposed to be a compliment?

Even from afar, the moon was astonishing, shinning her tender light, calling mermaids to go see her close.

And many mermaids answered her calling, summing up in the moonlight bathed surface, letting themselves be blessed by the great goddess light.

- Why can't I go too? – she used to eagerly plead, in her childhood times.

- It is too dangerous Toothiana. You are not ready yet. – Rashmi would calmly state.

This was always the answer.

And every time the orb was fully enlightened, she would stay quietly in her lodging, watching her core-sister, together with all of her other sisters, swim towards the starry sky.

But before all this could succeed, Rashmi would lull in her lap, making the currents dance with her beautiful voice.

_We are one with the sea and waves,_

_We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,_

_Born from foam, foam we'll become,_

_We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…_

Then, she would leave the little Toothiana with a last wave of hand, and the little mermaid would follow her figure with drowsy eyes, before succumbing to a deep slumber.

" "

He realized his eyes had wandered from the scarf to the water's mirror-like surface, reflecting the clouds, high above.

Jackson blinked twice, focusing on the soft wool cloth in his grip, absently stroking it with his thumbs.

It was, apart from memories, the only thing he had left of her. All the rest was taken, together with her, by the sea.

- I guess the legends weren't all true then! – he murmured, his being too tired, for his voice to carry any kind of accusation. - It seems your kind takes innocent children along with grown up men, after all…

At the lack of answer from the other part, Jack lifted his eyes. And, he had to admit, it made his heart tremble slightly, encountering that pair of rare gems staring deeply at him.

The monster's eyes, he would dare to say, looked almost… kind.

And these conflicted feelings, made the bubble of frustration inside him swell up once more.

- Don't look at me like that! – the boy hissed – It's you who is the monster! It's your fault!

His eyes were flooded again, but he tried his best not to show weakness before such paltry creature. However, it was like he couldn't hold back the words anymore.

- It's your fault we went out to the sea that day!

- It's your fault the storm came!

- It's your fault we were with our heavy clothes on!

- It's your fault I couldn't swim anymore!

- I-It's your fault that I couldn't- I couldn't _save_ her…

He hung his head, exhausted from the outburst.

He felt that dark, cold, heavy mantle of guilt, he so desperately tried to avoid, settling itself on his shoulders. And it was like he could literally feel his spine sag from the weight of it.

But suddenly, his black-hole of grief, that seemed to suck all the little light he had left in his heart, was pierced by the most beautiful sound.

His mind was dropped back in this reality, and he slowly blinked his eyes, focusing the now much lower water surface.

His currently freezing legs were completely out of the water, the wet cloth being cooled by the non-stopping ocean breeze. But that didn't bother him, apparently.

His being was focused, instead, in finding the source of the wonderful sound.

He turned his head slightly, towards the uncovered beach sand.

And lying there, body now completely exposed, was the creature. Yes, she was undoubtedly a female creature.

Eyelids hid her exotic irises away from him, long, strange shaped magenta eyelashes barely stroking her pale cheek. Now that he noticed, all her skin colors looked much less saturated than an hour ago…

Without warning, from barely moving lips, he listened…

A song, in the most melodious voice he had ever heard, was chanted by the apparently unconscious mermaid.

He couldn't understand the words that came out of the faintly stirring mouth, but that couldn't matter less. For the boy, her voice was more than enough.

So this was the legendary siren song!

Jack could now understand why sailors were so anxious to dive towards the deep cold, just to go after such sound!

But then, as fast as it had started, the mermaid stopped. And poor Jack had to hold himself, and retain the impulse to go and make her sing again.

The song was so short and weak, that Jack could only compare it to a quick pray or a goodbye.

But his sorrow for the present silence was instantly surpassed, when her body totally lost its color.

" "

The sun was hot on her face. Too hot for her liking. It was a strange feeling, and again, she didn't have knowledge of any word to describe it. And this was something both frustrating and wonderful.

But in her delicate situation, she wasn't so excited about the upper world anymore.

There was nothing she could do now, except accept her fate. Well, more accepting the consequences of her thoughtless actions, really.

Of all her sisters, she was mostly sorry for Rashmi. She was her core-sister nevertheless, and would be the one to feel her absence more intensely…

So, with one last tear, she sang her goodbyes.

_We are one with the sea and waves,_

_We are the ones doomed to live in the shades,_

_Born from foam, foam we'll become,_

_We are the secret of the ocean, the most mysterious one…_

And she let the serene darkness embrace her.

However, before she lost her conscious completely, she felt something holding her form, under her armpits.

Next, the pain of sensitive tail skin being dragged across the rough sand.

But then, there was no more pain, no more suffering, and everything was peace.

" "

- No, come on, wake up! - he begged, shaking her shoulders, not minimally worried that he was touching the so called monster's skin.

His heart had made a leap, and the boy had grown terribly pale, when he realized what happened. He ran towards her, ignoring all the previous hate he had towards the innocent creature.

Swiftly holding her torso with his arms, he attempted to pull her heavy body to its belonging.

He could hear the call of waves just behind him, hurrying him to bring her back home. A few more steps and his legs splashed in the water.

- It's not deep enough… - the boy huffed.

So with one last strong pull, he lost his balance in a sudden depression, falling backwards in the cold water, with one hopefully-not-dead mermaid on top.

Jack quickly broke the water surface, white bangs clung to his forehead, desperately holding the mermaid's head above water. It was a dumb gesture, he realized, remembering that she wouldn't drown.

_It is a natural reflex_, he thought melancholically.

He considered doing mouth-to-mouth breathing, but again, that would be dumb.

- She has gills, you stupid! – he muttered. He needed to calm down.

- This can't be happening again!

Jack desperately started to shake her form, hands clenching her wet shoulders.

- No, come on, wake up! Don't do this to me again! – he grunted.

His panic seemed only to grow and grow, just like last time. And reliving the terror twice was more brutal than what he had ever expected.

The mermaid didn't react, as pale and limp as ever.

Jack only stared at her, faces inch apart, unbelieving irises trying to find those hidden beauties, which he now realized, would probably never see again.

He let go of her with horror, staring at his dripping hands. However, they trembled madly, and Jack felt like they were dripping blood, instead of clear water.

The boy covered his face with disgust and shame, all his body shaking intensely.

- What have I done? – the profound pain made his voice come out as a strangled whisper.

- I'm the monster…

" "

Meanwhile, a few feet below, the currents greeted their returned companion. And, as if looking at her state, and shaking their heads in disapproval, they entered her dried gills, filling them with life once more.

And with that, all her body awakened, healed by the power of water.

Next, her conscience was brought back to hers until now hibernating being.

Her mermaid's body had the ability to shut down at the sudden lack of oxygen, surviving a few minutes without breathing. It was an ability she never thought would need…

She quickly opened her eyes and saw herself surrounded by her beloved ocean.

_Oh dear water, how I've missed you!_

Toothiana was about to swim away, to never return to this nightmare again, when she suddenly felt a presence near her.

Peeking a fast look over the water, and she saw herself facing a trembling white haired human.

Her body almost jolted back, for seeing the danger this close, but she then remembered the boy, and her previous situation, and how she miraculously ended up here, safe in the ocean again.

_Did he… saved her? _

Whoa, that was an interesting turn of events! What else happened when she was away?

Her instinct told her to go as fast as her fin would let her. To never return to shallow waters, cute human boys, or warm colored clothes.

But her heart seemed to tell otherwise, and she was dragged by it again.

Even after a nearly-death experience, she wouldn't learn her lesson…

So she tilted her head, as she came closer to his hand-covered face. Stopping in just a momentary hesitation, Toothiana extended her arm, slim fingers pulling his bigger hands down slightly, exposing his puffy eyes.

And those irises, blue as the sea she loved so much, widened madly at the sight before him.

Toothiana only bowed her head with a tender smile.

And with one quick glance over her shoulder, she dove, splashing some crystal droplets.

Behind stayed a madly smiling boy, that couldn't describe the relief and happiness he felt.

And towards the depths swum an incredibly lucky mermaid, who, with a smile on her face, had surely lived the adventure of a life time. Or so she thought…

* * *

**Sooo... did you like it? If you did, please review. And once again, thank you all for your support :))**


	5. Chapter 5

**Hi there! I know this took a while, and I am truly sorry, but I have exams and I hadn't study a thing during Christmas break and now I have to rush with it and I won't have so much time (sadly, as this is RS week :((**

**But still, here is something for you, hope you like it :D I'll try to write the next chapter as soon as possible.**

* * *

_- Keep your legs beating! Keep them beating, Em!_

_- N-no, no Jack, I can't!_

_- Yes you can! You've gotta trust me!_

_- Jaaaack…_

_.._

The soaring wind saved him from the painful memories displaying before his eyes, still so recently marked in his soul, that his body was oblivious to the fact that they were just that: memories.

He could feel the dreadful coolness of the water soaking his being, freezing everything in its way with a cruelly gelid kiss.

It froze his arms and legs, still struggling to keep his head above water; it froze his torso, his shuddering lungs, desperately trying to keep themselves free from fluids; it froze his throat, who couldn´t scream _her_ name any longer; it froze his brain, who was enable of thinking properly anymore; it started freezing his heart, who was certainly ready to give up.

And from his previously joyful and carefree spirit, the only thing left was a tiny ball of warm light, right in the center, which fought the ice to the peripheries of his core.

And this was what the sea had done to Jackson Overland, now more Frost that ever, whose will to live was immediately extinguish as the being right on his side, that other half of him, vanished in the unforgiving waves.

With a sudden shiver, Jack's mind and body seemed to wake up, and it was with a deep sigh that the boy found that there was no water surrounding him, and his feet safely touched the cold grass, the wind caressing his face.

- Baa…

The boy jumped three feet in the air, the sudden bleat coming just from behind him. He swiftly turned, gasping, and his blue eyes lowered to the pair of white clouds at his feet.

- Jeez… Eddy, Socks, what have I told you about sneaking up at me like that?

The two young lambs jumped and kicked, bleating with joy. Jack chuckled and gave Socks a little pat on the loin, and the pair went hoping away back to their mothers.

The young shepherd got back on his feet, stretching to his full height, carved staff firmly clenched in the pale fist.

And tied there, right on the big crook of it, the red scarf fluttered in the breeze. A bright sign of hope, like a flag that the boy would hoist proudly, reminding him who he really was.

He owned that tiny flame of optimism to a certain miracle that happened to him, weeks ago, which he simply couldn't take out of his mind. It was like that splash of salty water had woke him up from the nightmare of the past few days, showing him that there was still a lot to see in this world and he would be losing it if he stay like that, roaming around as if he was already dead.

Em would certainly not approve it, his brother wasting his life like that…

Surprisingly, he felt his lips stretch in a smile at the thought of her, instead of becoming all gloomy and depressed.

He started wandering around his small herd, palm gently stroking the tangled wool of the grazing animals. They lived such a peaceful live: no worries, just enjoying the early grass and the beautifulness of the hill.

Behind them, the mountains in the south extended their peaks, white covered summits glistening in the rare sun that was able to shine between the passing clouds.

Jack them turned them his back, finally facing the great blue covering everything at eye reach, right there before him. The wind blew directly from the sea, bringing the salty air with it.

His eyes couldn't help but wander, trying to spot some sign of a strange presence. He would be dammed if he admitted to himself he wanted to see her again. But a part of him also knew it was no use to lie, not about that.

The question was, would she return? Oh, he doubted that, not after what she had been through. Not after what he had almost done to her.

Sometimes he wondered if it had all been real, or if it was just his mad mind trying to find something colorful in this grey, dull life. Who knows...

Well, she does. Because, deep down he was sure: she was out there, somewhere, happily swimming through the refreshing water, safe in the ocean that was her home, away from the danger of men. Men like him…

...

..

.

She flapped her tail as fast as she could, fin thundering strongly against the withstanding liquid.

"Oh my! Rashmi is going to drag me to the surface and let me dry there, in the scorching sun!", the hurried mermaid kept whining in her head.

And there she went, lips apart in order to let the salty liquid flow into her gills, by entering her mouth. But she swam so fast that it looked like there wasn't enough time for the oxygen to be filtrated out of the water. So she truly was almost out of breath.

Toothiana was getting near her village, thus she dove towards the thick green forest of undulating algae, cautious, as if to check if the coast was clear.

She was in no mood to give detailed information about where she had been and doing what.

So, seeing the open waters ahead, she giggled mischievously. The thrill of doing what she wasn't supposed to was starting to get addictive.

The mermaid bit her lip at the thought, but chuckled even more, getting out of the forest with a gracious loop.

However, out of the blue, her body bumped against something in her path.

- Auch... – she groaned, rubbing her forehead.

But then her irises opened, and caught sight of the form before her, and a muffled – Ops! – left her lips.

Her head-fins immediately clung to her skull, and she bowed, showing her respects towards the personage.

- Escutah... – she whispered, courteously.

_What were the odds to bump specifically against her...?,_ her increasingly rebellious mind simply grumbled. She quickly chided herself, shocked at the lack of manners a part of her seemed to possess.

Then a clear sound spread through the water, reaching her ears slightly from above.

- Young Toothiana, it's better for you to watch where you're going... – the taller mermaid stated calmly, but there was no concern in her melodious voice. In fact, it totally lacked emotion.

The other straightened up again, facing the being before her.

The older character tail and torso were dyed in hues of purple and deep-blue, the undulating fin marked with strange elegant patterns, unique to each mermaid. They told the story of one's life, in a language of bubbles and spume. Toothiana's was a blank page, to be filled when reaching her adulthood.

Escutah's angular features showed a serene expression, brow just with the slightest frown, condemnatory about the juvenile mermaid's behavior.

The mermaid was an especially respected figure in Toothiana's community. She was the Great-Mother's listener. It was her job to intervene in the communication between mother-of-all wishes and her daughters' needs.

So, yeah, she maybe just committed some kind of secret offense or something like that.

Her revolutionary self quickly ran to the backs of her conscience, leaving her flustered personality to deal with the current matter.

- I am truly sorry, I didn't mean to, I didn't saw where I was going- Oh, you already said that- her mouth only continued babbling and babbling, like a unstoppable current of words.

The other blinked at first, caught out of guard, but urgently signaled for her to bring to an end all this excuses.

- T-Toothiana! Enough! – she commanded, in a strong tone. The smaller one bit her lips and lowered her head, embarrassed.

- I'm sorry...

The Listener sighted, but recovered her serene stance, proceeding in her beautiful, although neutral, voice.

- Toothiana, has your core-sister entrusted you with any special task yet?

The younger one's violet irises, shot right up again, and she straightened herself.

- No, she hasn't. – she stated. She didn't know what if to feel exited or not. It was always her dream, to play an important part of their society, to by useful and needed. But now she had a more interesting... project.

- Ugh, I see... – the other stated, looking over Toothiana's shoulder, towards the green slick forest the mermaid had burst from some waves ago.

- Maybe I need to talk to Rashmi about it. – she continued, absently. But then her almond eyes set on the younger mermaid before her. – It seems you have too much... free time.

And Toothiana couldn't help but gulp slightly. _Oh, she was in trouble..._

- Now go home, and beware where you are swimming to. No more loops in the village, understood?

Escutah dismissed her, and graciously swam away, but not before she had a hesitant nod from the ashamed mermaid.

Toothiana let out a restrained breath, and softly bumped her tail against the sandy floor, as she let herself sink in those clear waters. With a nervous giggle, she let all the tension drain from her completely.

And she couldn't help her mind to be flooded once again with thoughts related to a certain encounter, that she had long quitted trying to ignore. She titled her head towards the surface, the shining waters luring her more than they ever did.

The muscles of her tail ached slightly, exposed to too much effort in these last days. But a last peek wouldn't hurt...

With another roughish giggle, she kicked hard, impelling her form in the water, higher and higher.

All the distance she had swam recently, all the scolding she had endured from Rashmi for getting home late... it was all worth it!

And up she went, forgetting about her childish behavior, her new responsibilities, and whatever others might think. She felt free, and that was all that mattered...

...

..

.

- Great, this was exactly what I needed now... – the boy muttered grumpily, using his hands to hold his weight as he lowered himself between the rocks.

Earlier, he had lost himself in thoughts – again... – when he heard the bells echoing up the slope, born down there in the village. It was time to return.

And it was when he was gathering up the herd that he finally noticed. There was one little lamb, grazing near his mother. Only _one_ little lamb.

- Oh no... - he just hissed, kicking the grass, before his eyes started to scan the entire lea. – Socks!

And now here he was, playing hide and seek with one naughty lamb. He shook his head, smiling slightly, as he followed the track of softly stepped grass.

Well, herding was normally an occupation full of calm moments, so sometimes, something to shake things up a bit was welcomed. But not when it was time to get back home.

He continued going down the hill, eyes stick to the floor, ears alert to the slightest bleat. Jack realized he had certainly come a long way when he caught that familiar sound, of waves crashing against the cliffs.

But he quickly forgot all of it when his irises saw a white blur jump just ahead.

- Gotcha! – he whispered with a smirk on his face, making eye contact with the runaway cub. Its sudden bleat made Jack sprint like a predator, towards its direction, as the shepherd saw that the animal was going to escape again.

- I don't have time for this! – he whispered again, breathing hotly.

But his heart nearly stopped as he registered where the young lamb was fleeing to.

_Nonononono!, _his brain screamed, as his foot pushed harder against the ground.

Apart from the blood rushing in his ears, the only thing the boy could hear was the crashing waters, spume elevating in the air. The place where land ended and sea begun. And it was exactly towards there they were both running into.

So with one last step, the boy jumped, firmly enveloping the scared lamb in his arms. The feeling of emptiness was quickly replaced by one of coolness in his stomach, as he firmly closed his eyes.

But it only lasted a second. Before he could notice, his back where sliding down something made of sedimentary rock, that crumbled in his way down, scratching the pale skin from his back.

The high bleat of the screaming animal stopped as fast as the boys bum hit the sand, arms still firmly holding the flouncing lamb.

A gasp was suddenly heard, and a splash in the water.

The boy quickly opened his eyes.

It was that bay... And in the water, peeking, as if from one of his memories, two beautiful lilac eyes stared back at him.

* * *

**So, yeah, probably you wanted more but I couldn't, I need to study :( And I started writting again for my other RS story so I'm really running out of time!**

**Please review :)) It makes my heart warm**


	6. Chapter 6

**Yeah, knew chapter. This was pretty quick, so i'll take some time out. Nothing more to say... It's really late and i'm almost falling asleep so... Good readings and good night :)**

* * *

VI

- Seee-a, cee-a, ceee, seeee, see, sea… - the funny sounds that left her throat made her scrunch her brow, as she tried hard to twist her tongue and mouth in the right way.

This "s" sound was particularly difficult. It seemed to only exist out of the liquid environment, as the air passed in the narrow opening her tongue made against her upper jaw. It was curious and delightful, for being so foreign to her.

The surface brought a whole new world of sounds she was eager to discover. She gasped enthusiastically, as the thought of how would be singing like in the open air came to her mind. All of this was just… She was so excited that no fitting word came to her mind.

The calm waters of the little bay started to mimic the flaming hues of the dusky sky, reflecting the bright oranges and pinks in the mermaid's happy face.

Though she was in such concentration, trying this new word - the one humans used to name her home – she didn't noticed the fiery spectacle around her.

- Seaa… - she pronounced slowly, and immediately giggled at the slight whistling sound it made.

But suddenly a gasp left her drying throat, as from the steep wall of rock that hidden the bay, small stones came rolling down, and right behind them, something slid loudly downhill, enveloped in a cloud of dust. Whatever it was, it made horrid sounds, as some creature in agony.

Toothiana instinctively dove, hiding herself in the shallow waters. She was about to flee again, and find some other preferably more private place where she could practice peacefully, when her eyes couldn't resist but take a peek at the unknown creature.

There was a faint painful groan, and as the particles of dust faded away allowing the figure to reveal itself, Toothiana could only blink.

A cough echoed on the rocks, born on the appearing being.

She could now distinguish two pairs of eyes. The first ones were completely black and glimmering, situated on each side of a small white head. The white creature kept struggling to get free, free from two arms that held it firmly.

Two arms…

It was then that her irises lifted to the second form, a pair of cerulean oceans staring right back at her.

And she hadn't realized how much she longed to see _this_ specific blue again.

- Jack…? – she simply let it escape from her lips, half sigh, half surprise.

But suddenly her brain started working again, and both their eyes widened in embarrassment and shock.

Her head-fins shot up for a second, and the mermaid blushed and drained out of color simultaneously.

But before mortified escapes could be made, the boy got straight up, not even once caring with the finally released lamb. Socks would be safe; there was no easy way out.

Jack moved forward, stopping just where the sea kissed the cold rough sand.

- You… You said my name! – he whispered, eyes wide in realization.

He absently stepped forward, though the regret was immediate, and quickly stopped at the sight of her wincing. One wrong move and she would be gone forever…

- Wait! – he suddenly realized, – You can understand me?

He sounded almost hopeful, a slight tone of despair barely present.

Toothiana only pursed her lips, finally understanding the consequences of her silly give off. Without thinking, she strongly shook her head "no".

The boy, on the other hand, couldn't be more disappointed, eyes falling to his bare feet.

- Oh, for a second I thought we might… - the mutter came deep, from the back of his throat. But then his irises snapped right up. – Hey, wait a minute…

And he couldn't avoid chuckling full-heartily, as he watched the girl's irises widening madly, flushed cheeks bright in the evening's setting light, as she realized her own mistake.

But the mermaid turned away, feeling more embarrassed than she had ever been, under the amused chuckle of this strange human-being. And she was ready to dive and disappear, tired of feeling this exposed before a human boy, when the sound of splashing water reached her ears.

- No! – she suddenly heard him burst out, and quickly looked back, astonished.

He seemed to also realize he had said that far more desperately than what it should have seemed, as he instantly advert his gaze. But managing to swallow his pride to admit what he truly felt, he built up the courage to speak his heart.

It came out as a hesitant whisper.

- Please don't go...

And Toothiana could only stare.

...

..

.

- So... – he began awkwardly, keeping his eyes on his crossed legs. – In the end you really do speak English, hun?

The mermaid before him titled her head, looking confused.

Yes, the _mermaid_ before him...

This was surely the strangest thing he had ever done. And the difficult part was Jack had to leave everything he thought he knew, out of this bay. It was the only way he would be fair to both of them.

The mermaid was now a complete blank page to be filled as Jack would come to know her. No links to previous myths or unconfirmed truths.

- What I mean is, - he continued, trying to be as clear as possible. – you have always spoken my language?

The look on her face showed she struggled to comprehend and to come back with a proper reply. In the end she simply shook her head "no". And Jack lost no time.

- Then how...?

But he got interrupted, as the mermaid pointed to one of her strange-shaped ears. Then she tapped her forehead, and proceeded by opening her mouth and mimicking words.

The boy watched closely the succession of gestures. It was like a game of charades, and he was starting to have a little fun.

- You... heard? – but before the mermaid could say no, he shouted. – You've learned!

Enthusiastic nods from the other.

He watched as glad smile formed on her lips, but as quickly as ever, his mind was once again drowned in new questions, which he hurried voicing:

- With who?

And the mermaid blinked at his restless interrogatory. But then, thinking for a second, she struggled to get her fin out of water and hurriedly pointed at it, before letting the weight collapse into its rightful place.

Jack, however, after gazing intensely at her tail, frowned, not yet getting it. The girl huffed, frustrated and opened her mouth, hesitantly.

- M... Me-Merm... – it was really hard, and she was sure she looked ridiculously like a fish out of water, desperately gasping for air.

She lifted her eyes to the boy, expecting to see him doing his best to contain a bursting laughter, but the only thing she saw were wide open eyes, staring at her eagerly, as if admiring her effort. So she shoved that thought away and kept trying.

- Mermaids... – she finished with a sigh. Jack made a face of understanding, and quickly repeated, just to be sure.

- There are other mermaids who taught you? – receiving a simple nod he smiled. It was fun to know this kind of unimaginable things.

He adjusted himself in his sitting position, in the cool sand of the end of another day, gazing the amazing being before him with wide open eyes, as if they weren't able of capturing her as a whole.

Little Socks himself had already calmed down, and laid near its shepherd, taking a nap to rest from all the fuss he had caused.

But then something assaulted Jack's conscience, and he quickly blurted out more questions.

- You called me Jack! – he remembered how he had been extremely shocked to hear his name in her dulcet voice. He was immediately curious, and asked cautiously. – How... how did you know my name?

The mermaid flushed deeply again, and in her morphing skin-tone a quick wave of red passed over the beautiful blues and greens. Her violet irises drifted to the water below her, a perfect mirror to the painted clouds above.

But then, she tried to remember... that word he had used before to describe...

- Heard... – Her pronunciation was really good, her fast learning already kicking in.

And of course, being a mermaid, sounds in particular were something very natural to her. Even the strangest, like the ones these humans used.

And the boy was taken aback, for a second, by the skills she had at mimicking and the fastness of her comprehension. She surely was a very intelligent creature. But... the word, surprisingly, made something feel wrong...

Creature...

He abruptly realized he didn't know her name, and that felt strange to him, for the first thing humans usually knew about each other was their name.

And he couldn't just keep addressing her as creature or mermaid, could he?

- What is your name? – he inquired, staring her in the eye, as she lifted her head again at the sound of his voice.

And although she shifted slightly under his strong gaze, she titled her head, frowning.

_Okay, now it is your turn to do the charades... _

- Uhm... – he thought out loud, attempting to figure out how to explain her what "name" meant.

- Well, you see... I'm Jack! – he started signaling towards his own person, waiting to see if she understood. And when she simply looked at him like he was doing the strangest thing in the world, making all those gestures just to point to himself, he cringed.

_She's not stupid, you idiot!_ , his mind seemed to quickly remember him. So, with that set, he proceeded.

- My _name_ is Jack. – and he assured she associated the word "name" with his own name. - Jackson Overland Frost.

And she seemed to understand, as her lips formed a little "o", and she nodded. Fitting herself in a more comfortable position, she brought her hand to her chest, and prepared to let out those words never said out of water.

- Too-thi-a-na... – the mermaid pronounced, wincing slightly at how bad it sound in the air. It felt dry and ephemeral. She tried to ignore it, as she repeated one more time to be sure he got it. – Toothiana!

In the sea, it sounded almost like a song. Up here, the boy scrunched his nose at the strangeness of it.

- Tuuu..

- Toothiana. – she helped, and he repeated.

- Tuuut...

- Tooth...

-Tooth...

- Toothia-

- Tooth! – and the boy interrupted her, as she was going to teach him the last part of her name, but he started laughing whole-heartily.

She could do nothing but blink, not really getting what was the reason of so melodious sound.

He even felt backwards, and only chuckled, lying down on the wet sand. And as soon as he recovered, he got up again, watching the neutral mermaid before him.

When the boy noticed her confused look, he frowned slightly, and got a step closer.

- Tooth!? – he half asked, half exclaimed, sounding as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. To which the other basically replied, as ignorant as ever:

- Tooth?

And Jack suddenly came towards her, catching her out of guard, so she could barely lean back in order to escape his brusque approach and impulsive closeness. But he seemed oblivious to her discomfort, coming really close to her face, muttering deeply:

- Tooth. – and she was about to draw back, when his hands travelled to his mouth, pulling the thin lips upwards. – Tooth... – he managed to say, still comprehensible, even with his fingers on his oral cavity.

And Toothiana was actually about to dive away from this awkward situation, when a glimmer of whiteness called her attentions.

As her irises turned to the source of that purity, she barely avoided a swoon. But that mesmerized gasp of adoration managed to leave her lips.

- Tooth? – she asked, enchanted, not even once drifting her eyes away from such beauties. She saw a finger tapping softly a clean canine and a muffled word was heard.

- Tooth. – the boy confirmed, and removed his own hands, watching the mermaid that possessed a dreamy smile on face.

He chuckled lightly, making her look him in the eyes again, and he pointed at her with a smirk.

- You... Tooth!

And she couldn't bother less for him not knowing how to pronounce her long melodic name. If by calling her that, he had those wonderful things in mind, well... she felt flattered!

And this is the story how Toothiana became only Tooth, and how a blank page was suddenly filled with a good measure of laughter and glee. Something Jack had been carving for, lately.

So it was with peaceful smiles, and lightness in their hearts, that they watched the sun give a last stroke of paint to the marvelous sky, before retrieving towards unpainted parts of the globe.

The bells ended calling Jack back home, and he there he went, carrying the sleepy lamb up the darkened hill. He looked back once, thought, and Tooth would forever hold in memory the tender smile that graced his lips.

The mermaid, for instance, was left with the waves and stars as company. And not before breathing in that nocturne air, just for the sake of its taste, did she let herself be swallowed by her even darker home.

It was as if she had suddenly jumped between universes.

And the only traces of the true existence of the dream she just left, were the memories she took with her, and the hope of the day when she would come and make new ones...


	7. Chapter 7

**Hi there guys! Here is another chapter, just them getting to know a little. Hope you like it, Read and Review :D**

* * *

- What was that creature that fell off with you? – the sweet voice travelled to his ears, making the boy wake up from the quiet daze he was into, mind wandering vaguely about the events of the last couple of days.

Neither one had said a word to each other. There was no previous arrangement, nor a defined place and hour. They only knew that in the afternoon that followed that quieter encounter, their gazes crossed each other, lilac and blue, as one emerged from the refreshing waters and the other climbed down the wall of the cliff.

Timid smiles immediately graced their lips. And that unspoken confirmation to the doubt that prevented them from sleeping properly in the past night, eased their hearts, for which they knew that they weren't the only ones to desire the other's presence.

It had started with a certain climate of awkwardness lingering in the air, both not really knowing what to say. The mere coincidence – not such a coincidence after all - of them meeting again, in that hidden bay, made a heavy tension fall upon them.

However, the shepherd knew there was no time for uncomfortable silences, or, he was sure, the stealthy mermaid would simply swim away.

For Jack, in the beginning, it was like being around a wild animal. One sudden movement and it might flee and never return. And Jack was so curious about this shy creature that he couldn't afford such thing as to frighten her.

Well, giving it a second thought, their first encounter was definitely what we call traumatizing. And still, she came back.

With that last thought, the boy was suddenly awakened, blinking the fogy look out of his eyes.

- Sorry what? – and his irises focused on the girls face below him, body submerged in the cool water, her bright eyes set on him.

She giggled softly, and Jack couldn't avoid a small apologetic smile to stretch his lips.

- I ask – and the stern look the boy gave her, warned her about her mistake. She immediately repeated, thanking the boy with a smile for helping her out with this 'inglish' language.

- I asked, what was the creature you held in your arms. – she repeated, recalling the second time they met and that white-headed beast that made an horrible noise.

- Oh, Socks! – the boy exclaimed, finally getting what was she referring to.

- S-socks? – the mermaid tried to copy, wrenching her nose at the name. – What is a socks?

- No, Socks is his name. He is a lamb. – he tried to clarify, and then remembered a way for her to understand it better, giving an example.

- Like, ugh, my name is Jack, but I am a human. And you a mermaid, but you are called Tooth!

He smirked at that last part, making the girl shake her head slightly.

Her name wasn't Tooth! Only the boy called her that! But, actually, it didn't seem bother her... In fact, it felt nice just to have her name being said in his singular voice. As a mermaid, she was more accustomed to sweeter intonations, like the ones of her sisters. It was nice to discover such husky tones.

But she quickly shook her head dismissively. Her curious violet gaze, full of wonder for all this new things she was learning about, turned to the boy sitting on the rocks ahead of her.

- What is lamb? – she continued inquiring, resting her head on her own smooth palms, elbows set on the rocks under her.

And the shepherd spoke all he knew, happy to share those kind of facts that were, indeed, is field of knowledge.

- Lamb is a baby sheep, and a sheep is... - but he couldn't finish whatever he was going to say, as Tooth swiftly peeped in again.

- What is a baby?

And the boy simply stared at her for a second, caught out of guard by the quick change of subject.

- Would you care to stop interrupting? I have to keep a train of thought, you know? – he stated, pretending to be annoyed.

The mermaid's eyes widened, and her head-fins instinctively clung to her skull, as she lowered her look to the peaceful waters.

But suddenly a splash of water soaked her already wet skin, as the boy teasingly kicked a wave, attempting to call her attention.

- I'm just kidding, okay? – he said softly, showing her that cocky smile of his. Toothiana head-fins shot up right away, as the mermaid displayed a confuse frown.

_These humans and their strange ways of showing emotions..._

But her mind quickly drifted back to the main subject.

- Baby. – she voiced, and her irises kept staring at the puzzled expression that changed Jack's features, before a look of understanding illuminated his eyes.

- Oh, yeah, babies... – and he coughed awkwardly, drifting his eyes for a moment, in the intent of finding the best way to explain it to her.

- Well, baby, - he continued in a knowledgeable tone. – is the state in which a lot of creatures are born. When us humans, and all the other animals and birds, are born, we first appear to be like a miniature of what we will became at an adult age. – he paused just to see if she understood. Her focused expression showed that she seemed to be following his train of thought. So he decided to proceed, starting to emphasize his lecture with hand-movements.

- We are born babies, then grow up to be juveniles, and then we became mature. – At the slight frown the mermaid showed at the last word, Jack quickly added. – Mature is when you are able of producing your own babies.

- Oh... – Toothiana said slowly, coming to know more things about this upper world.

But the confused look that suddenly settled itself in the boy's face, anticipated the next question.

- Why, isn't this how it works in your world? – his husky voice asked curiously, slightly leaning forward. And the girl's emerged head softly shook "no".

- Then where do you all come from? – he continued inquiring, his tone with increasing softness.

Toothiana stared at her own reflection in the water below, mouth slightly open, trying to find the fitting words to describe the process.

- We are all daughters of Atlantis, our great-mother. – the mermaid started to clarify. Her voice proceeded with great tenderness and respect, as she told the human boy the story of her people.

- And there are times, when the moon shines the brightest, and all grown mermaids go singing to the surface. – she continued, her mouth keeping up with the images that played before her eyes.

- It rarely happens, but sometimes, the group brings back a gift from the moon, and offers it to the Mother-of-All. – her violet orbs suddenly turn up again, staring directly at Jack's own pair of oceans. – And from the sacred union of the moon and the sea, a young mermaid is born...

The mermaid ceased her narration, sheepishly looking up at the boy. Jack, on the other hand, looked like he was under some sort of spell, lulled by Tooth's melodic voice, as if he too witnessed this beautiful event.

But then the mermaid quickly added:

- It is a great honor to be part of such occurrence! Soon enough, I'll also be given the permission to participate! – her voice carried an exited happiness, as if she had longed for it for a long time.

She then remembered how Escutah had tried to give her a rightful occupation in their community. It was a sign, a sign that she would no longer be "Young Toothiana"!

- Yeah, it seems truly magical... – the boy absently whispered, with a delighted smile on his face, thinking about this unknown way of reproduction.

But the girl, yet again, interrupted his divagations.

- Why? Where do babies come from in your world? – she asked, innocently, being quite surprised at the sudden splash of red – she knew now that the warm color was called – which spread itself over the boy's face, coloring also the tips of his ears with in a strong crimson.

- We'll leave that explanation to some other time, okay... – he simply muttered, diverting his eyes to the now-surprisingly-much-more-interesting wall of rock.

That left a perplexed mermaid, crocking one eyebrow, at the human boy's strange reaction.

_Oh, these humans..._, she found herself thinking again, huffing a frustrated breath.

- So... – she broke the silence, making the boy turn to look at her again. – The creature is Socks, and socks is a thing, but not in this case, as Socks is a lamb. – she continued, summing up their conversation.

In that little pause, Jack quickly explained that socks were things that one puts in his feet, to keep them warm. Unfortunately, thanks to the boy's apparent manner of walking around barefoot, he couldn't show it to her.

The mermaid swiftly asked why would a lamb be called socks, and the young shepherd said it was because of the black marks that covered both his front legs, making it look like he was wearing that specific piece of clothing.

Once again, this earned the boy a strange look from pretty Tooth, as she huffed one more time about humans and their strange nomenclatures.

Jack laughed whole-heartily at her reaction, making only a pout come to the girl's lips, as she didn't know what she had said that was so funny.

As is laughter morphed into irregular chuckles, Toothiana hurried to change the subject.

- And, as you were saying, lambs are baby sheep, and sheep is...?

The boy's delighted burst out slowly faded, but no one could take that pleased smile out of his face.

It felt really nice, to laugh like this again, not a single worry weighing in his joyful heart. In that hidden spot, at that rare moment, Jack was the carefree boy he had once been, free to laugh as long as he liked, and, when deciding to stop, having such nice company before him.

Suddenly, Toothiana saw a warm flicker pass in his clear eyes, as they became soft for a second. She couldn't help but to feel her face warm up under such tender look. No one has ever looked at her like that. The mermaid shifted faintly in the calm waters, as her thorax and neck gills sort of gasped.

But as fast as it appeared, it vanished, and Tooth had to think for a while if it had been truly real or if it was her imagination playing tricks.

She instantly woke up from such wonderings, as the boy's low voice reached her ears.

- Well, sheep is an animal we humans have domesticated, kind of tamed, and we use its fur, that is called wool, to make all sorts of cloths. – he explained thoroughly. Then his tone shifted into one of proud and Jack continued. – I am a shepherd, so it is my job to...

And he continued narrating things about his life up here, on the open air, with Tooth listening mindfully, her eyes sparkling with wonder for this unknown world.

They stayed there, until the distant church bells remembered Jack of the life that awaited for him outside this rocky walls.

And it proceeded like this for many weeks, as the days got longer and the waters warmer, each day Jack leaving his herd in a fenced field nearby, jumping towards the beach, bright red scarf fluttering madly, tied up to the staff he brought in his closed fist.

And each day, the illusive mermaid would appear, and they would chat about everything there was to chat about, always keeping the unspoken promise that every afternoon, they would meet up in _their_ hidden bay.


	8. Chapter 8

**_Hello guys! How have you been? Okay, I know this took a while, but it was hard to come up with a new idea... But i think it is slightly bigger, so I hope you enjoy it. And, as it will be continued, I already know what to do next, so the next update won't take so long! :D_**

**_Now, let's go on with the story..._**

* * *

VIII

The lime colored grass waved calmly, caressed by the sighting breeze. Not a single sound could be heard besides the subtle breaths of the surrounding landscape and the distant bells tied up to the necks of grazing sheep.

Then suddenly, the steps of a hurried climb traveled up hill, accompanied by the heavy pants of the running boy. The glowing sun, shinning intensely upon him, seemed to alert to the fact that he was currently late.

It was noon already.

And though his mouth remained open, trying to take in all the air his longing lungs desired, an unmovable excitement kept tugging up the corner of his lips. His wide step carried the young shepherd's light structure as swiftly as it could, proceeding quickly towards his destiny.

However, even as the warm rays of light made the tiny droplets on his forehead sparkle slightly, some ugly-looking clouds, dense and tumultuous, made its way towards the sunbathed shores.

Jack hurried in his way, eagerly clenching the soft fabric in his closed hand. He could hardly wait to see her reaction, as the boy suddenly became conscious of the weight in his arm.

He smirked knowingly at the completely filled bag.

Thankfully, he noticed, the hidden bay was near, as the familiar path continued to reveal itself in each new turn, the clear line of too much stepped grass showing just how many times he had walked these fields, lately.

With a long intake of air, his slim legs gave a last sprint, gravity surely helping, as the hill descended towards a welcoming blue sea, anticipating the boy's arrival with gleeful splashes of water and spume in the steep calcareous cliffs.

A lovely mermaid was waiting.

...

..

.

The air kept warming up, sun glowing hard on the bare rocks that laid under its hot mantel of light.

Toothiana's now constantly flushed cheeks showed just how much the heating weather was affecting her colder necessities. Therefore, the mermaid spent more and more time submerged, longing for the freshness of the ocean, trying to escape the unforgiving sun.

Even Jack, who now always wore lighter linen clothing, kept showing up with those huge straw hats his mum made him wear – to which Tooth would laugh whole-heartily – in the effort of protecting his pale complexion from the merciless rays.

And it was nearly impossible to imagine the look of wonder in the mermaid's face, when one day, the boy's shoulders and nose appeared colored in a bright shade of red.

She immediately inquired when did he gained that specific ability of skin-shifting. The shepherd had dismissively stated that it was the sun's fault.

At the beginning, young Toothiana couldn't understand how one can blame the Sun for anything.

But the next day, when Jack's burnt skin started to flake off, the worried girl launched herself towards him, abruptly tugging his hand, immediately whispering apologizes when the boy winced at her sudden touch.

With careful wet fingers, she stroked the crimson areas, rapidly hushing him whenever he tried to assure he was fine.

"You don't play with the sun!", Toothiana had chided, and then hurriedly pushed his form to the cooled shades of the cliffs.

Then, with one last glare to the bright disc up above, she too sheltered herself from such masked dangers.

Today thought, the air felt cooler, Toothiana absently registered, as her head broke the water's surface. Cautiously, her eyes wandered through the private area of the bay, always checking on some kind of hidden danger.

Her violet orbs ended up settling on the heavy clouds that came from the faraway flat horizon, the ocean shimmering in the light of the ends of spring. She squinted her eyes with a frown, but eagerly dismissed it.

Instead, she let her body submerge again, laying her back on the sandy floor of the bay, irises watching as the bright beams played with the undulation. In her bored form, she vaguely started playing with the sand, letting the soft sediments continuously drain between her fingers.

It was "sun-day", as the boy had called it, so the mermaid patiently waited.

Because of young Toothiana's new imposed tasks and Jack's responsibilities towards the herd, a single day of the week had to be settled for their encounters. A _single_ day when they would chat without a single drop of worry in their hearts.

Neither one had liked the idea at first, thought they wouldn't complain about it out loud; but there was a quiet agreement that it would be better if their secret meetings remained secret. Both were exceptionally conscious of what each community might think of this _friendship_.

Yes, Tooth dared to call it that... Because after all these months of getting to know each other, she ended up finding in the human boy a dear friend she had never had the chance to encounter back at home, in her society.

And now, looking backwards, Toothiana noticed that her entire childhood had been spent with her own self as company! Not that it had bothered her, most of the time.

She had always loved to explore the surrounding environment in which she grew. And look where that curious nature had brought her!

In spite of all these reflections, the mermaid was not in her bubbliest moods.

She was usually extremely excited, longing all week for the settled day. The times she spent up here with Jack, she would have to admit, were the highlights of her activities.

But today, thought, it was as if all this energy and enthusiasm had suddenly drained from her, leaving her persona lazily resting on the seabed.

She made her pinkish eyelids hide the lavender-colored irises, and Toothiana sighed, causing a fresh gush of water to enter her gills.

For the first time in her long existence, her brow slightly creased unpleasantly at the thought of her respiratory surfaces.

She caught herself feeling as if they imprisoned her somehow, making her dependent on the constant presence of water, instead of allowing her to lay on the warmed rocks, next to her dearest companion.

For the first time, Tooth grimaced at her condition, as she would never be able to see the magnificent fields Jack always toke his herd to. She would never explore those woods and mountains he kept telling her about. For the moon, there was so much more she would never see!

And in her already gloomy state, these thoughts only made her even less happy, as her body seemed to sink more on the sandy soil.

Suddenly her eyes snapped open, as something was promptly caught by her acute hearing.

There, right above her, features distorted by the undulating surface and undulating light, a bright grin with gleaming eyes called her from out of water.

She felt her own lips curl up a bit, while she used her arms to raise her form towards the beaming creature.

But it was when her rosy cheeks softly broke the surface, that she noticed just how close his own face had been lingering the water.

Wet nose and not-so-wet-one gently touched, tip to tip, and the joyful smiles were immediately replaced by wide eyes and flustered expressions.

Suddenly, all she could see was crystal blue, and a rush of heat, with an unknown source, painted her entire body in warm hues.

She could feel her head-fins flutter from de shock, and just as fast they shot up in their stance, the translucent structures completely stretched out in the bright light, leaving the bashful-looking mermaid blushing madly.

The boy, on the other hand, seemed to be able of recovering slightly faster, and the stunned look on his face quickly morphed into an amused smirk, mischief making his eyes gleam in a special kind of way.

And before the girl even had the chance to react, a cool brush of lips was left on the very tip of her nose, causing a shiver to cross her immersed body.

In the blink of an eye, the boy was already innocently pacing in the rocks ahead, looking as oblivious as he could muster. But that grin, however, filled with mirth and a naughty delight, couldn't help but play in his lips, the soft shade of pink that dusted both his hears and cheeks being the only trace left of his improper gesture.

Well, that and the flustered mermaid he left behind, tinged in an impossible shade of crimson, eyes just as wide as they could be. Toothiana just stood there, blinking her huge eyelashes twice, gaze stuck in no specific point of the agitated waters that splashed against the bare rocks in which the boy roamed. And his own gaze never left her dumbfounded expression either, piercing blue irises staring at the girl that stood in the sea below.

A low chuckle shook his chest, and, as if the sound had awakened her, Tooth's reddened body morphed into the colors of the surrounding environment. And with a shy smile and ever-flushed cheeks, the mermaid's wish to disappear right then and there, was partially fulfilled.

Although this time, the boy allowed himself to laugh full-heartily at the girl's reactions, loving the way her entire body would respond to each emotion.

It amused him immensely.

But just as he was about to go look for her, a sudden wave of cold salty water engulfed his entire being, soaking Jack's fresh summer cloths until they were nothing but a thin sheet of almost transparent linen clinging to his drenched torso.

He immediately started coughing out the salty liquid, and it was with dripping arms wide stretched to both his sides, and equally sopping bangs clung to his brow, that his shocked eyes lifted slowly, catching sight of the laughing mermaid ahead.

She giggled so hard that one of her slim arms was wrapped desperately around her midsection, gills fluttering madly.

Jack got frightened at first; he has never seen her body shake so much since she almost suffocated, when he had left her to her own fate on the beach sand.

But when the nearly angelic sound of her laughter reached his hears, he understood that she was not even close to be dying.

In fact, in his still soaked form, frozen in place by the mere surprise of the action, Jack found himself smiling as well, absolutely overwhelmed by the other's elation.

- Ok, I guess we're even… - he ended up stating, making the girl's joyful giggles fade slightly.

- That's what you get for mocking a mermaid. – Toothiana mirthfully replied, raising an eyebrow, her usual coloration back to her skin.

The sun glowed brightly, warming their smiling features just as much as their heated hearts would.

- So… - the boy started, beaconing the mermaid's attention, causing the girl to swim closer, until she rested, with both arms crossed hoisting her weight, on the hot rocks.

He then proceeded to remove the wet cloth from his body, squeezing the salty water out of it. Next, he laid it in an exposed rock, leaving the rest of the drying job for the sun itself.

With an anticipating smirk he turned back to the mermaid, hands proudly set on his waist, pale skin glowing brightly in the midday light.

He wanted to tease her, to bring any sort of reaction out of her, to leave "young Toothiana" completely flustered again, before the sight of a man's half naked body. As stated before, the relative intimacy that grew between them, allowed the boy to feel comfortable enough to have fun just by seeing her head-fins shot up in the air, or her entire complexion change to a different kind of color.

Either way, whatever he was waiting for didn't happen, as the mermaid's features remained just as peaceful as before, violet irises staring directly at his own expecting ones, completely ignoring his bare chest.

- Well, go on! – she pushed, unaware of the reason of such dramatic pause.

The boy's mouth hung open for a second, as he struggled to recover his train of thought. Meanwhile, it was his _own_ _conscience_ who mocked him: _Why would she care if you're wearing clothes or not? Haven't you notice: she is pretty much naked all the time!_

The thought made his face heat up again, and Jack shook his head mightily, as if the gesture itself would shake the image away.

- I… I was going to ask you if you are hungry already. – he stuttered, focusing his attention on Tooth's face once more.

A smile graced the girl's pinkish lips, and with that she nodded.

…

..

.

- So… we have some rabbit stew, with cabbages and carrots…. There is some bread and sheep cheese. – the droned mutters kept coming out, as the now-not-so-flushed shepherd continued to remove the goods that he had previously placed in the wide square of fabric.

- Oh, look, I also brought some milk, if you want to try! And of course, water. – he finished, flashing a quick smile to the curious mermaid, whose eagerness to see such strange products had made her lean closer in her elbows, bringing her body slightly out of water. Thankfully the tide was coming up, and soon she wouldn't have to make such effort while supporting her tail's weight.

Jack looked through all the displayed edibles with a pleased smile plastered on his face. He had successfully managed to pilfer all this amount of food without his mum questioning anything.

Lately, and due to the heavy cloud of sorrow that seemed to hover the family, the boy had been excused a day out, so he could ramble around, all by himself, without the weight of reality to pin down his previously lighthearted nature.

His wise mother saw this as the only way not to lose both her children, because she knew, with all her heart: if she tried to hold Jack there with her, in the climate of sadness that persisted in submerging the house, he would end up drowning as well…

So, the boy was given permission to every Sunday, be free from all his responsibilities. And it was with nothing more than a farewell that his dear mother saw her only child run away, with just enough food for an entire day.

Now, here at the sunny bay, the young shepherd blinked the foggy daze out of his eyes, staring instead at the struggling creature below him.

With wide eyes and perched torso, Toothiana had begun to lift one arm, trying to reach the food the boy had carefully displayed. But before her fingertips could even touch a gleaming apple, her hand was gently slapped away.

- Oh no, my darling! – the boy elegantly stated, making his voice come out with a strange accent, shaking his head with a chin held up high. And he truly had to resist and keep his act going, when he saw the pouting face of the girl before him.

Jack then laid on his belly, head held between his pale palms, staring directly at her, with faces inches apart. Afterwards, with a smirk tugging his thin lips, he stretched a slim finger and poked the mermaid's nose.

- Now, my fair lady, if you wish to taste my food… - he continued with a smile on his voice and a twinkle of teasing in his eyes. - … you ought to give something in return.

He then took back his finger from her wet nose, and saw with an amused grin as rosy shade blossomed in the girl´s cheeks. But this time, she recovered faster, and mirroring him with a playful smile of her own, Toothiana tilted her head questioningly.

- And what would the payback be?

And as the teasing in her dulcet voice reached his hears, the boy brought a finger to his jaw, tapping it thoughtfully.

His crystal-blue irises left hers for the first time in what seemed like ages, as he pretended to stare ahead in deep contemplation.

- Hum… Let me see…

* * *

_**So... if you liked it, please review. If you didn't, tell me what I should fix. XD**_

_**Also if you would like to see some of my drawings related to this fanfic feel free to check here: **_

_** - Deviantart: gallery/48134469**_

_** - Tumblr: search/my%20art**_


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